Israel in American Public Opinion: Signs of Change

American voters' attitudes toward the Palestinian-Israeli conflict have changed, but media commentators and political consultants have not yet realized this. They are still stuck in the past, relying on old assumptions about voters, and continuing to operate according to outdated rules of the game.
A major article in The Washington Post last week entitled "Figures to Watch as the 2026 Midterm Races Kick Off" provides the best evidence of how far analysts are from reality. The article discussed six election races that the newspaper believes are worth following next year.
One of the most prominent races was the candidacy of Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, an Arab American, for the "Democratic" Party's nomination for the Senate seat from Michigan. After launching the description of "bold progressivism" on policies adopted by Abdul El-Sayed - that is, his support for a comprehensive health care program and higher taxes on billionaires, and Senator Bernie Sanders supported him - the writer directs this blow: "Perhaps his views on foreign policy are the most controversial. He described Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide and supports cutting military aid to the Jewish state.
What proves that the writer is "disconnected" from the current political reality is his assertion that accusing Israel of committing mass killings or calling for cutting off military aid to it are controversial political proposals. This may have been true a few years ago, but Israel's war on the Palestinians has negatively affected Israel's popularity among American voters, and the policies that these voters want their government to follow to curb Israeli behavior. This applies especially to "Democrats" - the voters that Abdul El-Sayed will need to win in the primary elections next year.
A wide range of polls have proven the extent of the changes in attitudes. The Economist magazine conducted the latest and most comprehensive American public opinion polls in August 2025. Here are some of its findings: 43% of voters support reducing military aid to Israel, while only 13% want to increase this aid. The reduction/increase ratio among "Democrats" is 58% versus 4%. Among independents, the ratio is close.
Other polls show that voters confirm that they are more likely to support candidates who adopt such positions, and less likely to vote for those who defend Israeli policies and want to maintain current levels of military aid to Israel.
The clear conclusion is that candidates who adopt positions similar to Abdul El-Sayed's are not at all controversial. Rather, they are actually part of the new American mainstream.
As further evidence of this shift, and less than a year before the midterm elections, it is remarkable that more than twenty congressional candidates have already announced their intention to reject political action committee contributions from pro-Israel groups. This includes three current members of Congress, all of whom were previously staunch supporters of Israel, and in previous elections received millions of dollars from pro-Israel sources, including political action committees and independent undisclosed spending funds. One of these members recently gave a speech at the American Holocaust Museum, launching strong criticism against Israel's actions in Gaza, and announcing his support for cutting American military weapons to Israel.
It used to be said that criticizing Israel was like touching a "live wire" in American politics - either avoid it or get burned. But somehow, it is still the case, but in the opposite direction. Supporting Israel used to be essential for congressional candidates. Polls now show that voters are less likely to vote for candidates who refuse to criticize Israel or who receive funding from pro-Israel political action committees.
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, we expect more candidates to publicly distance themselves from Israeli policies. We also expect pro-Israel groups to panic and escalate their pressure by pumping tens of millions to defeat candidates who criticize Israel. I believe that this may backfire, because what will be controversial in 2026 is Israeli policies and pro-Israel campaign contributions, not the opposite. The sooner analysts, consultants and the media realize this, the better our political performance will be.